Pawn shop owners charged
A family that owns several pawn shops throughout Central Illinois is being charged by the Illinois Attorney General for allegedly running an organized retail crime enterprise.
Attorney General Kwame Raoul alleges that the Pierce family in Bloomington ran an organized retail crime operation at numerous Monster Pawn locations in McLean County and in Springfield.
According to Raoul’s office, the merchandise was represented as being proceeds of retail theft, which the defendants would purchase well below market value. The Pierce family and their employees then allegedly sold those items online.
Carbon monoxide warnings
Illinois is enduring a blast of cold arctic air this week and as residents turn up their thermostats to stay warm, the risk of a home heating fire or carbon monoxide incident increases.
The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal encourages residents to have their furnaces checked, change furnace filters, and make sure carbon monoxide and smoke alarms are functioning properly.
Rockford ‘hottest’ housing market
An Illinois city has been named the hottest housing market in the country.
According to Realtor.com, Rockford ranked No. 1 on the list in December. In Rockford, with a median list price of just $242,000 last month, homes are moving quickly, typically spending just 43 days on the market.
Other Illinois cities making the top-20 include Springfield at No. 12, and Peoria at No. 20.
